Summer Recap: the luckiest

This is part three in a series of posts about the summer we became parents.  You can read parts one and two here and here.  

All in all, we had the most magical, unusual summer.  Steve got to be home with Arthur and I and, as we are both completely crazy about Steve, you can imagine how much fun that was.  

We actually did a fair amount of travelling, both because we could and because we wanted to show off our awesome new kid.  We visited lots of friends and family and enjoyed the beach and the mountains.  Arthur made lots of friends and got to play with everyone else's toys and was pretty much a champ the whole time.  He doesn't love being in the car for more than an hour or two, but really- who does? 

As I mentioned before, my shop continued to be busy throughout the summer, mainly with bow tie sales.  I sewed during nap time, I sewed after bed time, and my little helper takes the packages outside to the mailbox for me each morning.  I started on a new line of ties for boys and we spent a couple of funny afternoons bribing our model with grapes to get a few good shots.  

It's been fun to learn all about our son and I think that is one of the really interesting things about adopting an older child- they are already a person with likes and dislikes.  Arthur is a great eater and is willing to try almost any food.  We've watched him devour eggplant lasagna and collard greens and all kinds of things that I doubt his peers are eating and we're thrilled.  He also loves to clean, loves trucks and dogs (consider it a banner day if we see a dog riding in a truck), will sleep in until 8am every day if we let him.  He is kind and funny and wants to be a part of every conversation we have.  He stands at the front door and waves to all the neighbors (and their dogs) and watches for the mail truck like it's his job.  

If you'd asked me when I was younger what I wanted to be when I grew up, my "career" type answers would have varied from a scientist to a brain surgeon to president of the United States, but the one thing that I always wanted to be was a mom.  I wanted to be married to a good man who would go to work and provide for our family and come home and kiss me and be proud that I stayed home all day with our babies, cooking and cleaning and keeping the house running.  And it doesn't escape me now that not many people get to realize their childhood dreams and I think about the two guys who now share my home, my life, my heart, and the Ben Folds Five song runs through my head- 

           Now I know all the wrong turns
           The stumbles and falls brought me here
           And where was I before the day
           That I first saw your lovely face?
           Now I see it every day
           And I know
           That I am...
           The luckiest